Fishing reel



1970 J. K. TAGGART I 3,488,015 1 v I I FISHING REEL Original Filed Sept.20, 1963 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 2 JOHN K TAGGART ATTORNEYS Jan. 6,1970 J. K. TAGGART 3,488,015

FISHING REEL Original Filed Sept. 20, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 X1Z.' 27 1l2 INVENTOR. JOHN K 7736614197 Jan. 6, 1970 J f GAR'r 3,488,015

msnmc REEL Original Filed Sept. 20, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet t."

United States Patent 3,488,015 FISHING REEL John K. Taggart,Indianapolis, Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to VictorComptometer Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of IllinoisOriginal application Sept. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 310,201, now Patent No.3,298,630, dated Jan. 17, 1967. Divided and this application Oct. 17,1966, Ser. No. 587,087

Int. Cl. A01k 89/02 US. Cl. 242-84.51 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis closed-faced spinning reel has a cup-shaped flier with a radiallyextending winding pin selectively retractable for casting by manuallyoperated cam means on the front side of the flier accessible through afront center opening in the reel housing. A spool support carries thespool coaxial and rearward of the flier with the spool normally beingheld against rotation by friction plates at the opposite sides of thespool, each plate having a friction disk engaging the spool. An annularadjustment disk is threadedly connected to the spool support and isexposed by a radial opening in the reel housing for manual rotationwhich shifts the rear friction plate and disk relative to the spool toregulate the friction applied thereto. A spring interposed between thespool and rear friction plate has an arm extending into engagement withan annular arrangement of teeth on the rear of the spool to resistrelative rotation between the rear friction plate and spool in thewinding direction while giving an audi- This is a divisional applicationof the applicants copending application for Fishing Reel, Ser. No.310,201, filing date Sept. 20, 1963 now Patent No. 3,298,630.

This invention relates in general to a spin-type reel and, moreparticularly, to an improved structure for winding line upon the spoolof a spinning reel and for releasing the line so that it can unwindfreely from said spool.

Many attempts have been made to develop an uncomplicated spinning reelwhich provides for level-wind operation, which can be fabricatedeconomically, and which is foolproof in operation. A reel of thisgeneral character is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,745,607. However, as aresult of further experimentation with said reel, and preparing same formanufacture, I have devised improvements over my previous reel which itis the purpose of this application to protect. The reel hereinillustrated and described is easier to operate, more compact in size,much easier to maintain and, in general, better suited for its intendedpurposes than similar reel constructions previously developed.

While the following descriptive material relates primarily to a spinningreel, it will be recognized that some of the disclosed features are alsoadaptable to use on, and capable of improving the operation of, spincasting reels. Thus, the term spin-type reel, as used herein, will havereference to a spinning reel and/or a spin-casting reel.

Accordingly, the objects of this invention include the provision of:

(1) A spinning reel which overcomes some of the shortcomings found inexisting spinning reels for the same or similar purposes.

(2) A spinning reel, as aforesaid, which is small in size, light inweight, easy to operate and maintain, pleasing in appearance, and yetcapable of long and satisfactory operation under normal conditions ofuse.

(3) A spinning reel, as aforesaid, having an improved Patented Jan. 6,1970 spooling device or flier combined with a spool having level-windcapability.

(4) A spinning reel in which the spooling device includes a line guidewhich can be deactivated before making a cast by a simple, manualoperation of an easily accessible part and reactivated after the castmerely by normal manipulation of the rewinding crank.

(5) An improved mechanism for activating and deactivating the lineengaging member on the flier, which mechanism can be applied to spinningor spin casting reels, said mechanism including an escapement devicewhich is foolproof in operation and capable of long, trouble-free use.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent topersons familiar with this type of equipment upon reading the followingspecification and examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a bottom view of a spinning reel, when it is in its normaloperating position, embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a broken, side elevational view of said spinning reel.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the lineIII-III in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line IVIVin FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V- V in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the spooling device of thereel.

FIGURE 7 is a front view of the spooling device of FIGURE 6 with thenose plate removed therefrom.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the lineVIIIVIII in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 9 is an inside view of the cocking member of said spooling deviceshown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is an elevational view of the inside of the spooling deviceshown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 11 is an inside view of said spooling device in a dilferentposition of operation.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XIIXII in FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken along the line XIIIXIII in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XVXV in FIGURE 5.

The words front,

For convenience in description, the words upper, lower and words ofsimilar import will have reference to the reel and parts thereof asappearing in FIGURE 2. rear and words of similar import will havereference to the right and left sides, respectively, of the reel asappearing in FIGURES 1 and 2. The terms inner, outer and derivativesthereof will have reference to the geometric center of said reel andparts associated therewith.

The objects and purposes of the invention, including those set forthabove, have been met by providing a spinning reel having a gear housingwhich serves as a mounting structure upon which are supported the otherparts of the spinning reel including a line receiving spool and aspooling device or flier for winding the line upon the spool. Mechanismis provided within the casing and the gear housing for effecting axialreciprocation of the spool and simultaneous rotation of the spoolingdevice in response to rotation of a hand crank. A mounting bracket issecured to the gear box for connecting the spinning reel to a suitablefishing rod in a substantially conventional manner.

The spooling device includes a line-engaging member which is manuallymovable into an inoperative position so that line can be paid out fromthe spool with little or no resistance. The line-engaging member isreleasably connected by an escapement device to the mounting structureof the reel so that the line-engaging member is automatically releasedinto its operative position when the rewind crank of the spinning reelis turned in a direction which causes the line to be wound upon thespool.

The spinning reel of the invention, a preferred embodiment of which isdisclosed in FIGURES 1 and 2, is comprised of a gear housing upon whichthe spool 12 and spooling device or flier 13 are supported within aspool casing 11. A crank 14 and mounting bracket 16 are also supportedupon the gear housing 10.

The gear housing 10 (FIGURES 2, 4 and 5) has a body structure 17 andcover plate 18 which define a gear chamber 19 through which a sleeve 22extends. The shaft 23 of the crank 14 is removably receivable throughthe sleeve 22 wherein it is held by the key device 24 and the nut 26 forrotation with said sleeve 22. A gear 27 is mounted upon and rotatablewith the sleeve 22 within the chamber 19. A spring clutch 25 (FIGURES 5and is mounted upon the sleeve 22 and connected to the body structure 17to restrict, when engaged, said shaft to unidirectional rotation in adirection whereby the spooling device 12 winds the line upon the spool12.

The gear 27 (FIGURES 2 and 5) has an eccentric 28 upon which the ring 29is rotatably and concentrically mounted. A pair of bearings 32 and 33are rotatably supported upon the ring 29 on diametrically opposite sidesthereof so that they extend away from the gear 27. The cover plate 18has a slot 34 into which the bearing 32 is received for movementradially of the sleeve 22 when the gear 27 is rotated by the crank 14.

The body structure 17 (FIGURES 3 and 4) includes an integral,cylindrical spool support 36 having a coaxial, cylindrical opening 37extending transaxially of the sleeve 22 into the chamber 19 below thegear 27. A drive shaft 38 extends, through, and is rotatably supportedwithin, the spool support 36 near the opposite ends thereof by bearings39 and 40. A worm gear 43 is mounted upon and rotatable with the driveshaft 38 within the gear chamber 19 so that it is continuously anddrivingly engaged by the teeth of the gear 27. Accordingly, rotation ofthe crank shaft 23 effects rotation of the gear 27 whereby the worm 43,hence, the drive shaft 38, is rotated.

The front end of the shaft 38 (FIGURE 3) is threaded for connection tothe spooling device 13, which is discussed hereinafter. The bearing 40has at its front end a flange 44 with a concentric annular recess 45 inits axial face adjacent the shaft 38. As shown in FIGURE 13, theperiphery of the recess 45 is defined by an annular ring 47 having aslot 48 therethrough which spirals with respect to the shaft 38, forreasons appearing hereinafter.

The cylindrical spool support 36 (FIGURE 4) has an axially disposedkeyway 49 which extends from the front end thereof, adjacent the flange44, through the wall of the body structure 17 and the cover plate 18into the chamber 19. The inner edge of an elongated key-bar 52 isslidably disposed within the keyway 49 so that the rearward end of saidbar 52 always extends into the gear chamber 19.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, an upwardly opening yoke 53 is connected tothe key-bar 52 within the chamber 19 so that the bearing 33 is receivedinto the slot 54 defined by the yoke 53. Accordingly, rotation of thecrank shaft 23 acts through the sleeve 22 and gear 27 to rotate theeccentric 28 whereby the bearing 33 is moved in a circular pattern withrespect to the housing 10, and the yoke 53 and the key-bar 52 are causedto reciprocate. At the same time that the key-bar 52 is beingreciprocated by the yoke 53, the worm gear 43 and the drive shaft 38 arebeing rotated by the gear 27 In this particular embodiment, the crankshaft 23 (FIG- URE 4) has near its outer end an opening 56 into whichthe crank arm 57 is slidably received. A key device 58 on the crank arm57 and on the crank shaft 23 adjacent the opening 57 normally preventsrotation of the arm within the opening 57. A spiral spring 59, whichencircles the crank arm 57 adjacent the crank shaft 23, releasably holdsthe key device 58 in engagment. A crank handle 62, which is rotatablysupported upon the crank arm 57, can be pivoted with, and around theaxis of, the crank arm 57 into and out of its operating position ofFIGURE 1, after compressing the spring 59 until the key device 58 isreleased.

An adjustment sleeve 63 (FIGURE 3 and 4) is slidably supported upon thecylindrical spool support 36 and is connected to the key-bar 52 by thesnap ring 64. The spool 12 is rotatably supported upon the adjustmentsleeve 63 between the axial ends thereof. Said sleeve 63 has an annulargroove 66 into which the snap ring 64 is received, and said sleeve 63has a keyway 67 in its inner surface into which the outer edge of thekey-bar 52 is slidably received. The snap ring 64 extends through thegroove 66 into the keyway 67 where it can be received into a notch 68 inthe key-bar 52 for preventing relative axial movement therebetween.

The spool 12 has a drag or brake mechanism 70 (FIGURES 3 and 4) whichincludes the annular friction disks 71 and 72 secured to the oppositeaxial ends of the spool. A pair of annular friction plates 73 and 74 aresupported upon, and are held against rotation with respect to, theadjustment sleeve 63 at opposite axial ends of the spool 12 forfrictional engagement with said disks 71 and 72, respectively. Thefriction plates 73 and 74 have inwardly extending fingers 76 and 77,respectively (FIG- URE 3), which are received into grooves 78 and 79,respectively, in the adjustment sleeve 63 for preventing said relativerotation between the friction plates 73 and 74 and the sleeve 63.However, the rearward groove 78 is sufficiently elongated to permitsubstantial axial movement of friction plate 73 with respect to theadjustment sleeve 63 for the purpose of adjusting the drag.

An annular spring plate 82, which has a pawl or click finger 83extending from its outer edge, is mounted upon the friction plate 73 bymeans of the tabs 84, which are integral with the outer edge of thefriction plate 73. The spool 12 has a plurality of integral ratchetteeth 86 projecting from and arranged in a circle on the rear side ofthe spool adjacent the friction plate 73. Said teeth 86 are locatedradially outwardly of the periphery of said plate 73 for engagement :bythe click finger 83. The teeth 86 and finger 83 are arranged to eifect aclicking sound when the spool 12 is rotated in an unwinding direction,which is a counterclockwise rotation as appearing in FIGURE 8. Saidfinger is also arranged to engage the teeth 86 and thereby opposerelative rotation between the spool 12 and the spring plate 82 in thewinding or clockwise direction of FIGURE 8. As shown in FIGURE 14, thespring plate 82 has a wave-like form in a circumferential direction, sothat it can be used to effect a resilient pressure between the frictiondisks 71, 72 and the friction plates 73, 74.

The rearward end of the adjustment sleeve 63 has threads 88 for threadedengagement by, and support of, an annular adjustment disk 89, which ismoved axially of the sleeve 63 in response to relative rotationtherebetween. Thus, the pressure between the friction plates 73, 74 andthe friction disks 71, 72 can be varied by rotating the adjustment disk89, whereby to vary the ease with which the spool 12 can rotate withrespect to the adjustment sleeve 63 in an unwinding direction.

The spooling device of fiier 13 (FIGURES 3 and 6) is comprised of acup-shaped line guide 92, an annular cocking member 93, which isrotatably supported upon the front side of the line guide 92, and a nosecap 94 which is removably mounted upon the line guide 92 for the purposeof holding the cooking member 93 in position. The line guide 92 (FIGURES3, 6 and 10) has an axial end wall 96 and a substantially cylindricalperipheral wall 97 integral with said end wall 96. A flanged andinternally threaded tube 98 (FIGURES 3 and 12) extends through thecentral opening 99 in the end wall 96, and the flange 103 is secured tosaid end wall. The threaded end of the drive shaft 38, which preferablyhas a left-hand thread, is threadedly received into correspondingthreads in the rearward end of the tube 98 whereby the line guide 92,hence the spooling device 13, is secured to and rotated with the shaft38.

The line guide 92 (FIGURES 6, 7 and 9) has an annular flange 102 on, andconcentric with, the front side of the end wall 96. Said flange 102 isspaced outwardly from the flanged tube 98, and the cocking member 93 isdisposed snugly therewithin. A pivot pin 104 is rigidly secured to theend wall 96 and extends frontwardly therefrom between the flanges 102.and 103. A slot 106, which is elongated radially of the guide 92, isprovided in the end wall 96 between the flanges 102 and 103 on thediametrically opposite side of the end wall 96 from the pivot pin 104.

A shiftable member 107 (FIGURES 3, 11 and 12), which includes theline-engaging element 108, is slidably supported upon the rearwardsurface of the end wall 96 by the bracket 109 so that said member 107can move diametrically of the line guide 92 whereby the engaging element108 is moved between its FIGURE and FIG- URE 11 positions. The shiftablemember 107 has a slot 112, which is elongated diametrically of said lineguide 92 and through which the rearward end of the tube 98 is slidablyreceived. The mounting bracket 109 has an open ing through which saidtube 98 also extends.

In this particular embodiment, the shiftable member 107 is fabricatedfrom a material, such as nylon, having a self-lubricatingcharacteristic. The line-engaging element 108 is a metal pin which isembedded in and extends from one end of the shiftable member 107 so thatsaid pin can project through an opening 113 in the peripheral wall 97 ofthe support member 92 when said shiftable member 107 is in itsline-engaging position.

A resiliently flexible metal plate 114 (FIGURES 3 and I1) is mountedupon the rearward surface of the shiftable member 107 and has anelongated opening 116 through which the rearward end of the tube 98extends. The plate 114, which is secured to the member 107 by a screw117, has an integral finger 118 which projects rearwardly from the plate114 adjacent the opening 116 therein and remote from the screw 117. Thefinger 118 is arranged so that movement of the shiftable member 107 fromits FIGURE 10 position to its FIGURE 11- position will cause said finger118 to move past the rim 47 on the annular flange 44 into the annularrecess 45, wherein said finger 118 is held by said rim 47. The rearwardside of the member 107 is recessed at 119 to permit flexing of the plate114 frontwardly as the finger 118 snaps over the rim 47. Said member 107also has an actuating post 122 which extends frontwardly through theslot 106 in the end wall 96. The finger 118 and rim 47 cooperate toprovide an escape ment mechanism whereby the shiftable member 107, hencethe line-engaging element 108, is releasably held in an inoperativeposition in which it cannot engage the line 20.

The cocking member 93 (FIGURES 6, 7 and 9) has a coaxial opening 123through which the front end of the tube 98 is slidably received. Saidcocking member 93 has an inner annular flange 124 projecting frontwardlytherefrom and snugly but rotatably embracing the tube 98. Said member 93has an outer annular flange 125 which is knurled on its front face foreasy manual gripping. Said cocking member has an arcuate slot 127adjacent the outer flange 125 through which the pivot pin 104 isslidably received. A spiral spring 128 is connected at one end to thefront end of the pivot pin 104 and at its other end to the inner flange124, which it encircles. The spiral spring 128 is arranged and connectedso that it tends to urge rotation of the cocking member 93 is aclockwise direction with respect to the line guide 92, as appearing inFIGURE 7.

The rear surface (FIGURE 9) of the cocking member 93 has an arcuaterecess 129, the radially outer edge of which defines a spiral around theopening 23 and serves as a cam 132. The recess 129 is on thediametrically opposite side of the opening 123 from the slot 127. Theactuating post 122 is received into the recess 129 when the front end ofthe tube 98 is snugly within the opening 123 and the pivot pin 104 isextending through the slot 127. The cam 132 formed by the radially outeredge of the arcuatae recess 129 is shaped so that rotation of thecocking member 93 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 7,causes said cam edge 132 to engage and move the actuating post 122inwardly whereby the shiftable member 107 is moved from its FIGURE 10position into its FIGURE 11 position. As soon as the manual engagementof the cocking member 93 is released, the spring 128 returns the disk toits FIGURE 7 position.

The leaf spring 133 (FIGURE 11) which is secured to the shiftable member107 near the end thereof remote from said element 108, resilientlyopposes movement of the member 107 from its FIGURE 10 position into itsFIGURE 11 position. Accordingly, the spring 133 urges the finger 118against the rim 47, whereby rotation of the spooling device 13 willpermit the leaf spring 133 to urge said finger 118 out through thespiral slot 48, so that the shiftable member 107 can return to itsnormal (FIGURE 10) position, wherein it is capable of windlng the line20 onto the spool 12.

The nose cap 94 (FIGURE 3) has a post 134 with a left-hand thread whichis threadedly receivable into the front end of the tube 98, whereby thecocking member 93 is held in its operating position upon the innerflange 124 and within the outer flange 125.

The spool casing 11 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) 1s comprised of a cup-shaped,rear member 136 Wl'llCh concentrically encircles the cylindrical spoolsupport 36 and the adjustment disk 89. The casing 11 also includes asubstantially cylindrical front member 137 which 1s coaxial with andextends frontwardly from the peripheral wall 138 of the rear member 136.The front member 137 is removably supported upon the rear member 136,and said rear and front members have openings 141 and 142, respectively,in adjacent edges thereof. The openings 141 and 142 are aligned so thatthe outer, knurled edge of the adjustment disk 89 can be manuallyengaged through said openings to adjust the drag mechanism 70, hence thetension on the fishing line 20.

The mounting bracket 16 (FIGURE 2) has an arm 144 which is rigidlysecured to and extends substantially upwardly from the body structure17, and which is rigidly connected at its upper end to a mountlng plate146, which can be mounted upon a conventional fly rod or the like in asubstantially conventional manner.

At the beginning of a normal operation of a reel embodying theinvention, the parts of the crank 14 are 1n their FIGURE 1 positions,with respect to each other, and the line 20 is substantially completelywound upon the spool 12. The free end portion of said line 20 isthreaded frontwardly through the reel between the peripheral wall 97 ofthe line guide 92 and the inner surface of the cylindrical member 137 ofthe casing 11 so that said line can be engaged by the line-engagingelement 108 when the shiftable member 107 is extended, namely, in itsFIGURE 10 position.

If removal of the line from the spool 12 is desired, the cocking member93 is manually engaged and rotated in a counterclockwise (FIGURE 7)direction whereby the shiftable member 107 is retracted into its FIGURE11 position and the finger 118 is retracted into the recess 45. Thefinger 118 engages the inner surface of the rim 47 and thereby holds themember 107 retracted, whereby the line-engaging element 108 is movedinside of the support member 92 so that it cannot interfere with thefree unwinding of the line 20 from the spool 12.

When the desired amount of line 20 has been removed from the spool 12,the crank 14 is manually engaged and rotated in a winding direction. Thefinger 118, which is rotated with the support member 92, moves outthrough the spiral slot 48 in the axial face of the rim 47, under theurging of the leaf spring 133, during some part of the first 360 degreesof rotation of the spooling device 13 with respect to the spool 12.Thus, the shiftable member 107 is released into its extended (FIGURE 10)position where the line-engaging element 108 (FIGURE 3) is sufficientlyclose to the inner side of the casing 11 that said element will engagethe line and wind it upon the spool 12 during subsequent rotations ofthe crank 14. Due to the axial reciprocation of the spool 12 withrespect to the cylindrical spool support, the line will be wounduniformly and automatically upon the spool 12 as the spooling device 13is rotated. If, while the crank 14 is being turned in a windingdirection, the line 20 is held or yieldably restrained against movementtoward the spool 12, the friction disks and plates 71, 72, 73 and 74,and the click finger 83, which engage the spool 12, will slip and willthereby permit the spool 12 to rotate with the spooling device 13 sothat no additional line is wound upon the spool, until the line 20 isagain released. It follows, therefore, that the line 20 can be pulledaway from the spool 12, while the shiftable member 107 and itsline-engaging element 108 are extended (FIGURE 10 positions) ifsufficient outgoing force is applied to the line to overcome theresistance to rotation of the spool 12 created by the drag mechanism 70.

In this particular embodiment, rotation of the crank 14 in an unwindingdirection is opposed by the clutch because such rotation could tanglethe line within the reel and because, under normal circumstances, suchrotation is not necessary to the satisfactory operation of the reel.However, by moving the adjustment crank (FIG- URE 15) from its solidline position to its broken line position, the clutch 25 is expanded topermit rotation of the crank 14 in both rotational directions. Rotationof the spool 12 in a winding direction with respect to the spool support36 is positively obstructed by engagement between the click finger 83and the ratchet teeth 8-6.

When the user is ready again to cast or otherwise remove the line 20from the spool 12, the cocking member 93 is again manually engaged androtated in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 7) so that the shiftablemember 107 is again retracted to its FIGURE 11 position where it will beheld until the crank 14 is again turned in the winding direction.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed hereinabove for illustrative purposes, it will be understoodthat variations or modifications of such structure, which come withinthe scope of the appended claim, are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A spin-type reel for a fishing line, comprising,

a mounting structure including a substantially cylindrical spoolsupport,

shaft means supported by and extending through said spool support,

a spool mounted on said spool support,

a pair of friction discs mounted on the opposite ends of said spool,

21 pair of friction plates mounted on the opposite ends of said spoolsupport adjacent said friction discs, means supporting one of saidplates for axial movement relative to said spool,

an adjustment disc mounted on said spool support,

said adjustment disc being axially movable relative to said spool andengageable with said one friction plate for moving the same axially ofsaid spool and thereby varying the frictional resistance between saidfriction plates and said friction discs,

spring means resiliently urging one of said friction plates axially ofsaid spool support, and inter-engageable means on said spring means andsaid spool for resisting rotational movement therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,521,543 9/1950 Shakespeare etal. 2,558,896 7/1951. Young et a1. 2,745,607 5/1956 Taggart et a1.3,029,040 4/1962 Wood. 3,061,230 10/1962 Gayle. 3,105,650 10/1963Kuether 24284.2 3,120,357 2/1964 Wood 242--84.5

BILLY S. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner

